Nutrition and Supplementation for the Masters Athlete
∗ 79 year old Courtney Stanley.… “What is this guy eating ??…” I believe Nutrition is extremely important (Critical) to longevity and strength.” Everything I ingest has a specific purpose. The supplement brands below are chosen for their quality/purity….they may not be the cheapest…but you want the best right?? …and of course it does take a little work to assemble all the ingredients and ingest them at the right times and with the correct foods. I have eliminated all unnecessary medicines except Levothyroxine that I must take for my Thyroid. Back spasms from Spinal Stenosis Pain are managed through reduction of pro-inflammatory foods and substances, as well as adding High Dose Astaxanthin (12mg.),Creatine- BPC-157 peptide, and Fish-Oil Omegas, plus athletic activity. I am now using a Carivore-ish Diet! (Paleo-Mediteranean)-(As of Feb 2020)
I had a Heart Attack on June 30, 2018. and had a single stent placed (Proximal LAD). Stuff happens! All my Lab values were good and I was in excellent health. Dr’s. don’t know why, but blamed it on Genetics…”bad luck”. Not Diet or Lifestyle. I don’t believe it was bad luck…rather, some questionable supplement choices and Diet selections. I looked healthy but had some serious health issues.
Most of the major diseases we’re currently treating with harsh and toxic drugs can potentially be solved with proper nutritional intervention that addresses your choice of cellular fuels. I’m now using periodic “Intermittent-fasting“..(varying fasting periods each day).This is critical for proper mitochondrial function (Respiration) Please look this up as it is the most critical issue in a successful defensive strategy against Cancer-Diabetes-Alzheimer’s and most other acquired lifestyle diseases. I get into Autophagy and Mitophagy (think cellular respiration and cleaning) everyday, if possible. Meals consist of 12;noon-2:00pm shake followed by my LMOD (“Large Meal of the day”) aprox. 6pm.
Don’t let age corrupt your well being and lifestyle….I didn’t want to retire and live as an invalid, so some work and personal education was necessary to prevent this from overtaking me. Dropping weight, lowering stress levels, etc. Since making this change my blood profiles have normalized, Resting HR dropped to the 50’s, BP at 105-120/74, Body weight at 205-212 (6’1″), lipid profiles normal…in short all labs back to where they should have been.
Remember that as we age we begin to lose the ability to properly absorb/utilize most of these essential nutrients. Our ever changing environment isn’t helping either! Our Soils are depleted by crop spraying etc. So Supplementation is strongly suggested to restore natures balance and here I am 6 yrs later (Post MI)…in excellent health.
Let’s take a look at my daily intake of food and supplements.
Absolutely essential to take in Salt and water all day…I stick my finger in a jar of Redmond Salt then put it on my tongue then drink 6-8oz at a time…Small frequent doses are better absorbed). 1st thing in morning upon waking I gargle with a 1/2 glass of water and a tablespoon of salt after soaking my mouth for 5 min in that solution. I then fill the glass all the way back up and drink the remaining salt solution.
My “Shake” Everyday
- Cup frozen Blueberries ( Not on W/O day.). Bananas with post-workout shake. Bananas and blueberries don’t mix!
- Anti-Oxidants-Wait at least 3hrs. AFTER exercise only on Workout Day (helps preserve W/O gains….ROS(Reactive Oxygen Species) are Helpful during and after W/O as they help with “hormesis”…so don’t kill ’em with Anti-Oxidants!
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L-Glycine Powder 3 to 4gm …..Essential Amino and great Glyphosate chelator. Our food supply and some clothes we wear (Cotton Bedsheets too) is completely contaminated with this stuff (Round-Up Pesticide). Use 2 grams before bed…Helps you maintain sleep for entire night and “fall asleep” faster!
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Potassium bicarbonate (2 gm.)….goes in daily shake. (Maintains Potassium requirements and also acts as a “Buffer”→ Bicarbonate).
- Boron….10mg. Prevents Loss of Calcium, Magnesium,and Phosphorus in urine. Testosterone goes up ↑ -> Estradiol Down ↓
- Alpha GPC – 600mg. (Double Wood) Pre-Workout. (Nootropic)
- BPC-157 – Regenex Labs (contains epicatechin as well, a known myostatin inhibitor)-Many many reasons…pls look this up for details.
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Ceylon Cinnamon 1 tsp per day ….Note: Must use Ceylon from Sri Lanka to avoid excess Coumarin in “Chinese”(Cassia Cinnamon) found commonly in supermarkets. Used to lower BP and Insulin resistance.
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Lutein 20mg.and Zeaxanthin 4mg for Eyes (AMD)- “Sports Research Brand”
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Astaxanthin (antioxidant) 12mg (Bio-Astin or AX3): Most potent anti-inflammatory- Allowed me to stop taking NSAIDS !! (Crosses Blood/Brain Barrier)..excellent longevity supp.
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Magnesium:Malate (Double Wood) Split dosing (500mg ea.)- 2 in am i then at evening meal using Magnesium Glycinate (KAL) 2 tablets Form
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. DiMagnesium Malate in formulation.Malate form is better for Gut and Joint health than other forms of Mg. Take largest dose early in day to avoid Malate induced Sleep disruption. If using Glycinate or L-Threonate, just reverse this dosing as they are excellent for sleep. I take Malate primarily for muscle fatigue and Gut help.
- Taurine (Double Wood) 2,000mg. {longevity-Workout endurance}1st thing in AM (always on empty stomach!) and just before bed.– It’s Complicated:Read This
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Selenium 200mcg Life Extension “Super -Selenium” is absolutely essential (Take at last meal ).→ Big Anti-cancer…No Selenium on days I eat Liver.
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Ubiquinol 100mg. (Qunol Brand) Mitochondrial Health – Energy fuel.This is better than CoQ10 for older folks!(over 50).
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Vitamin D-3 ( 5000-10,000IU at least, use a higher amount during stress ) Complex (Sports-Research) ( Bone – Heart – Sleep – Anti Cancer. ) Absolutely essential ! …this is absolute minimum during the pandemics!
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Vitamin K-2 ( As 100mg. MK-7 and 500mg. MK-4 ) Life Extension Super K ( Bone – Heart – Sleep – Anti Cancer. ) Essential compliment to D-3 ( Keeps calcium out of your arteries-No K2 when I eat Liver. new research suggests this may not be that effective in reducing “Calcium Scores”..Also could disrupt “Stabilized” plaque…do your own research). *** We are thinking endothelial function here.
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Zinc Carnosine 15mg (Hornbach Labs)-[Super absorbable]..Sleep and testosterone
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1 Tbsp. Organic Moringa Powder; Rich in proteins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, and flavonoids. Kuli-Kuli is the best one.(Thank you Dr. Rhonda Patrick!) Very Helpful for Arthritis as well..
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Whey Concentrate Protein:40g+ ( MuscleFeast ) About 1 hour after workout (also every day) This is Unflavored-Grass-fed – Unflavored keeps you free of Heavy Metal contamination with flavors (especially chocolate). Looking for Aminos here (Luecine). Keep Protein source clean as possible without fillers – flavorings,etc .Also New research reveals that the old saw of “more than 40g of protein is overkill” is total HorseShit!. Show me a Carniverous animal that stops eating a kill when they reach 40g……New science has proven our bodies can utilize way more than 40g for muscle synthesis during a single feeding.
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Protein from supplements at 40-60g. From food 190 -210+ g. Total Protein about 1.26 – 1.36 g per pound of Body Weight...could easily be higher in my age group..Older= more protein….Not less.
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Creatine 5g supplemental daily for my body size….(Muscle feast CreaPure® )- (Plus Much More in my food) Total daily is always 10grams +
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Beef Tallow, Ghee or Bacon Fat for greasing pans and High heat cooking. EVVO Olive oil in my Rice.
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1Tbsp Organic Coconut Oil (Adds Fat for Absorption of supplements that require it). Take this with “Shake”.
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At Least a Tablespoon of “Local Honey” (I have a Beekeeper friend who gets me Honey from where I live-within 5 miles)..I usually have 2-3 Tablespoons a day.
- 1 Cup Greek Yogurt 5% Fage Brand (probiotics-protein)
Other Stuff…
- “Fish Oil”–Carlsen Brand 1,600 mg of omega-3s, including EPA and DHA, which support heart, brain, vision, and joint health. I use the Oil NOT capsules. Stored in Fridge does not go rancid. Taken @ with food.
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I also use Greek Yogurt and Honey or Cottage Cheese with Pineapple “TidBits” as a night time snack (to avoid Ice cream LOL!)
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Topical Testosterone gel for low T on Blood work.
- BPC-157 Peptide: For post workout recovery and soft tissue Injury healing. (8 weeks on—8 weeks off)
Prescription Medicine:
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Levothyroxine – 112 mcg. Daily (Thyroid)..recently lowered from 150mcg.. due to dietary changes.
- Meloxicam – 7.5mg. ..PRN Arthritic Joint Pain (Spinal Stenosis)
Food Choices: ( See also – Carnivore Diet )
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Beef: Rib Eye-NY or Sirloin Cuts-Eye of Round Roast-English Roast-Ground Beef– Free Range Chicken ( Hormone- Antibiotic Free )-Beef Liver 3 times (max.) per week-Wild Caught ( Maximum 1 times per week ) Pork 2-3 Times a week (Since Pandemic – Watch out for corn in feed, plus cook well to avoid parasites)-Seafood ( Mostly Salmon or Yellow Fin Tuna ) Once a week to limit Mercury exposure…some Bacon.
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Organic Butter: ( Preferably Grass fed ie, “Kerry Gold“ )
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Smoothie Shake = Whey Protein ..add 5-10g Creatine -Fresh Blueberries -or Banana (Not Together!) -1tsp. Cinnamon(Lowers BP) – add – an Avocado or 1Tsp. Coconut Oil – A2 Whole Milk or water.- L-Glycine (1-2g)…Ginger 1tsp [Anti-Cancer] – Moringa Powder [Covers all your “Greens” needs or “Field of Greens”-Potassium Bicarbonate Powder (Potassium needs and Workout Stress Buffering) .***Note: I throw everything in here…usually at midday to early pm….see list above.
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White Rice and White Potatoes (Occasional Sweet Potato)…See Vertical Diet, much easier to digest than Sweet Potato’s and less sugars. For Sweet Potatoes…try to get Purple or Japanese Varieties. Much better for your Gut Microbiome.
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Broccoli (Sulfurophane), Carrot’s (Carotenoids), Beets(Nitric Oxide and Polyphenols) and Green Beans as side dishes. Black Olives.
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Limit Oxalates!! (Think Leafy green Vegetables like spinach))
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Oranges and Apples (No Honeycrisp..too much sugar) as Evening Dessert. Don’t ever buy any Apples with the “APEEL” sticker on them.
SALT:
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High intensity Strength athletes need more Salt (Unless a medical Condition that Salt Aggravates exists)…I “dip” my finger into a small Jar of Salt next to my “Berkey” Water Filter before taking a 1/2 glass water….I repeat this several times a day. It’s much better to take small amounts of water frequently, as opposed to a big Bolus of water. Salt your food to “Taste”.
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Add “Redmond’s“ Ancient Sea Bed Salt mined in Utah…3 grams upon waking…lots of trace elements here as well.This salt is far superior to “Himalayan Salt which is produced from “above ground’ deposits that are subject to atmospheric contamination. Also contains 87 additional minerals from the earth. “Celtic Salt” also good.
Avoidance List
NO STATINS !!…just no!
AVOID ALL SEED OILS And PUFA’s {Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids}
*** It is vital that you reduce your intake of industrially processed seed oils as much as you can. This means eliminating all of the following oils:
Olive (EVVO) and avocado oil should also be on the list as over 80% of these are adulterated. But even if they weren’t it simply isn’t worth it to have high levels of olive oil as it is loaded with the omega-6 fat called linoleic acid, and is often Rancid.
Ultra-processed Foods:
Examples of ultra-processed foods include breakfast cereals, pizza, chicken nuggets, soda, chips and other salty/sweet/savory snacks, packaged baked goods, microwaveable frozen meals, instant soups and sauces and much more. More generally, ultra-processed foods can be defined as food products containing one or more of the following:
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Ingredients that are not traditionally used in cooking
Unnaturally high amounts of sugar, salt, processed industrial oils and unhealthy fats ( Read the ingredients closely!)
Artificial flavors, colors, chemical sweeteners and other additives that imitate sensorial qualities of unprocessed or minimally processed foods (examples include additives that create textures and pleasing mouth-feel)
Preservatives and chemicals that impart an unnaturally long shelf-life
Genetically engineered (GE) ingredients, which in addition to carrying potential health risks also tend to be heavily contaminated with toxic herbicides such as glyphosate, 2,4-D and dicamba
Unsprouted grains. If consuming grains (which are best avoided altogether), make sure they’re sprouted. Unsprouted grains, sugar or fructose decrease seven of the 12 most important hormones
SUGAR:
- Not only is sugar a highly addictive substance (surpassing that of cocaine, according to some studies), but other ingredients are also highly addictive, especially salt and fat. In fact, the processed food industry has developed “craveabilty” into an art form. Nothing is left to chance, and by making their foods addictive, manufacturers ensure repeat sales.
- Sugar and fructose, including fresh fruit juice, as the rapid sugar spike effectively blocks hormone secretion; choose low-fructose fruits
- No alcohol consumption, as this decreases your growth hormone production. Having just one alcoholic drink per day can decrease your HGH by 75 percent!…yiikes!!
- Avoid exogenous Opioids at all costs. They will destroy your immune system (among other things!).
DAIRY Consumption:
- Greek Yogurt … 5% fat one like FAGE
- Eggs … Think Choline here.
- Limit Casein and Gluten– What many don’t realize is that part of the problem stems from the fact that gluteomorphins (from gluten) and caseomorphins (from casein) act as exogenous opioids which are proven to harm your immune system. Virtually anyone suffering with an autoimmune problem, be it multiple sclerosis (MS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or Hashimoto’s (autoimmune thyroid disease), just to name a few, would be wise to try a gluten- and dairy-free diet to help optimize immune function. (Grass-fed ghee can be used, as it’s very low in casein.)
Facts for Athletes:
- Eating meat won’t give you heart disease.
- Saturated fat does not clog arteries and dietary cholesterol has no impact on blood cholesterol.
- Salt Intake is critical (See above comments on this)
- Not all meats are the same. Processed meats aren’t as healthy as unprocessed.
- Not all fats are the same. Polyunsaturated fats are associated with heart disease; Saturated fats are not. This is the reverse of what most of us have been told.
- The widely quoted China Study is a farce. Yet meat-free dieters use it to support their claims even though it’s been proven highly inaccurate.
- Vegans and vegetarians don’t stave off disease. Their disease rates are not lower than that of meat-eating populations.Plant Proteins are markedly inferior to Animal Based.
- Crops aren’t more ethical than raising cows. They destroy land, use more resources than you’d imagine, and kill more animals than you know.
- Plant proteins aren’t effective proteins. They cause more nutritional deficiencies than limiting them..
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Look up Don Layman’s Research.
